Pay drivers are motor racing's lore. This is not a sport for the poor. Nobody's gonna give you a car that costs hundreds of millions of dollars and say, go ahead now do some laps and it doesn't matter if you crash it. Auto racing is the most expensive sport out there, if you can't cover your bills, you're out.
Actually pay drivers have decreased in F1 lately, other than Lance Stroll there's nobody who can de dismissed as such. Struggling teams like Williams had to take him and now Lafiti. Actually George Russell is a pay driver to a degree since he belongs to Mercedes and his hiring gives Williams a discount on the engine lease. Same happens with Ferrari juniors in Sauber/Alfa Romeo. Charles Leclerc's father is probably the biggest landlord in Monaco. Did his family money help him to get where he is now? Of course but nobody talks about the money anymore because he has shown real talent. Stroll on the other hand...